Idaho Health Freedom Act Wrong Rx for State's Health Care Crisis

Senate Has Last Chance to Stop Risky State Bill from Taking Unknown Toll on Health Care for Families & Elderly

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the President and a bipartisan group of members of Congress come together today to discuss how to tackle the nation's growing health care crisis, Idaho Senators are poised to debate a bill tomorrow that could make the issue worse in the state.  The Idaho Health Freedom Act (HB 391), taking aim at a component of a non-existent federal health care law, could wreak havoc in Idaho, while costing the state money and jobs.  

AARP is urging Senators to reject the bill and, as part of its "accountability vote" efforts, will track and report the roll call and inform all its 180,000 members how their Senator voted.  The Senate vote is the last opportunity to stop the bill before it heads to the Governor's desk.

"The Idaho Health Freedom Act simply brings home the divisiveness, partisanship and rhetoric that have done nothing but ensure the health care crisis grows worse in Idaho," said Jim Wordelman.  "Idahoans are getting hit with soaring premiums, high prescription drugs costs and unaffordable health care, this bill tackles none of those problems."

AARP says the legislation is overly vague, untried, unproven and risky and could have severe and unintended implications on the health care system in Idaho.

AARP strongly opposes the Idaho Health Freedom Act because the legislation:  

• Does nothing to address the real health care problems Idahoans face, high prescription drug and insurance prices, and the high cost of health care.
• Contradicts existing state policy that requires all full-time students at state colleges and universities to carry health insurance -- without it they can't enroll.
• Ties the hands of Idaho legislators with a permanent state law taking aim at a non-existent federal one, which could prevent action on needed state health care issues.
• Will engage Idaho in costly litigation with little chance for success.
• Could cost the state over $1.6 billion in federal matching funds for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), compromising the coverage for 260,000 Idahoans and losing thousands of state health care jobs.
• Destabilizes Idaho's carefully constructed regulations for the insurance industry.
• May prevent state regulators from addressing health insurance and health plan issues – leaving premiums, deductibles and co-pays subject to even greater increases.
• Puts at risk Idaho's bid for the F-35 project, while telling the federal government to stay out of the state with one hand, with the other we're urging them to come and spend billions of dollars in Idaho and bring thousands of jobs.

"Too many Idaho families, retirees and businesses are stuck in a health care crisis -- they need real solutions to real problems and they need them now," added Wordelman.  "This bill moves Idaho in the wrong direction."  

Idaho's health care crisis:

• 221,000 uninsured; nearly 90% have jobs with many unable to afford soaring health insurance premiums.  Prices will increase by 40% in the next few years and double by 2016.
• 27% of Idaho's 213,000 Medicare beneficiaries have fallen into the Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole," forced to pay 100% for their medications, leaving many to stop taking them.  Prescription drugs costs increased 11% over the last few months.
• 400,000 Idahoans spend 10% of their income on health care while roughly 100,000 spend upwards of 25%.  Soaring health care costs will force families to pay even more in the coming years, leaving many to simply go without needed health coverage.

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SOURCE AARP Idaho